Dunloe Castle Gardens

The Dunloe Castle Gardens contain one of the most fascinating and important collections of trees and shrubs in Ireland. In fact, there are trees gowing here that are rarely, if at all found, in Britain or indeed Europe. The most ancient trees are the two Yews known as Adam and Eve in the Walled Garden which are between 300 and 350 years old. Most others however, have been planted last century, the majority during the 1920’s by Howard Harrington, an American who lived in the old house at Dunloe Castle for almost twenty years. Many of the trees Harrington planted were rare in other ways, like the Chinese Pond Cypress by the stream whilst others such as the Monterey pines down the Avenue served a more mundane role, that of windbreaks. Fortunately, a great number of these trees not only survive but continue in good health and a tour of the more interesting specimens is an educational experience but also very enjoyable. Read more …